WASHINGTON – A new Georgetown University Medical Center study in collaboration with MedStar Health and the National Institutes of Health exploring a new brain imaging technique is bringing stroke experts a step closer to better tailoring rehabilitation. Neurologists often use MRI images of the brain’s white matter to glean information about a person’s ability to recover, but a new imaging technique added to MRI allows clinicians to better see the condition of white matter tracts leading to the limbs, an observation usually only seen after death during an autopsy. “A white matter tract called the corticospinal ...

Learning to think more about specific events in the future appears to reduce impulsivity,  improve decision-making, and shows potential as a therapy for alcohol use disorder, a new Virginia Tech study found.  The study, which involved 24 participants whose brains were scanned during both resting-state and task-based fMRI, showed brain connections were altered by future thinking. The research, published recently in the journal Brain Connectivity, was among the last led by the late Warren Bickel, professor and director of the Addiction Recovery Research Center at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute ...

A recent study published in Engineering presents an innovative strategy for converting plastic waste into useful products. The research, led by a team of scientists from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and other institutions, focuses on polystyrene (PS), a commonly used plastic that poses significant challenges for waste management. Plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issue due to the increasing production and improper disposal of plastic products. PS, in particular, is difficult to degrade naturally and often ends up in landfills or the environment, contributing to the spread of microplastics. Current methods for treating ...

When sea otters were reintroduced along the coastlines of islands in Southern California and British Columbia, researchers saw kelp forests return to areas that were destroyed by sea urchins. But how slow or fast they grew back depended on the location — and until now, scientists didn’t understand why. New CU Boulder research found sea otters, an important keystone species, play a vital role in kelp forest recovery, but their level of influence depends on what other species they interact with in salty Pacific Ocean waters. The study, published ...

A new study from Tulane University suggests that repeated collapse and reopening of tiny alveoli—air sacs in the lungs essential for breathing—during mechanical ventilation may cause microscopic tissue damage, playing a key role in ventilator-related injuries that contribute to thousands of deaths annually. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the study sheds light on ventilator-induced lung injury, a complication that gained increased attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in patients requiring ...

Osaka, Japan – The human body is full of checks and balances that ensure correct growth, development, and function of all our different systems. Now, researchers from Japan have reported a newly discovered protein interaction that regulates sperm development. In a study to be published soon in PNAS, a multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University has revealed that the interaction between two specific proteins is crucial for ensuring that sperm cells develop properly. Sperm formation is a highly complex process that involves many changes ...

A Yale-led research team has uncovered how a naturally occurring biological mechanism found in mammals is able to prevent sperm cells from interacting with an egg, preventing fertilization. The discovery, identified in rodent models, offers a new path for scientific research to help people grappling with infertility issues, while also opening a new line of study for developing contraceptive therapies. The findings appear in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This will have direct implications ...

In a recent study published in Engineering, researchers have developed an innovative analytical framework for ecological security assessment, prediction, and zoning management. Guided by the Social–Economic–Natural Complex Ecosystems (SENCE) theory, this framework aims to enhance ecological security for sustainable development. The Daqing River Basin in the North China Plain was chosen as a case study due to its ecological significance and the increasing human-land conflicts. The research team established an assessment index system based on the pressure-state-response ...

A recent study published in Engineering introduces an innovative design paradigm for reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), aiming to enhance their design efficiency and versatility. This research, led by a team of scientists from Southeast University and Guangzhou University, offers a fresh approach to address the challenges in RIS design. RISs, enabled by digital coding technology, are crucial for manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves in real-time. They play a significant role in 5G and 6G research. However, traditional automatic RIS design methods face issues. Most involve extensive numerical simulations ...

Researchers have widely accepted that impulsivity increases the risk of drug addiction, but the evidence to support this belief is mixed. Exploring the relationship between impulsivity and cocaine use in rats, Yihong Yang and colleagues from the National Institute on Drug Abuse found evidence that contradicts the prevailing view that high impulsivity predicts cocaine use.   One classification of impulsivity is impulsive choice, which can be studied with risky choice tasks and delay-discounting tasks (DDT). During DDT, impulsive individuals prefer smaller, ...

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is transforming children’s journeys to school by making streets safer, improving perceptions of air quality and encouraging children to live healthier lives. A new study published today in BMJ Open, and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), highlights its benefits, with many families noticing cleaner air and safer roads. However, it also reveals challenges, particularly for those living in outer boroughs who are more reliant on the car and may struggle to adapt. Road traffic is a major source of air pollution in London, posing serious health risks. One in 11 children in the city has asthma, a condition ...

Tulane University researchers have developed a CRISPR-based test that diagnoses Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) — a life-threatening fungal infection primarily affecting children and immunocompromised patients — more quickly and less invasively, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The highly accurate test detects RNA from live fungi in blood samples and throat swabs, eliminating the need for invasive bronchoscopy procedures currently used for diagnosis. "Current diagnostic methods haven't evolved in ...

Customized 3D-printed medical implants are becoming more common, and a new study has taken this technology to the next level. Researchers at Naton Biotechnology have developed the world’s first laser 3D-printed total knee implant, which has received official approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration as an innovative medical device. The study focused on improving the strength and consistency of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloy implants made using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), a 3D printing process. The team discovered and corrected inconsistencies in the structure of the material ...

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals — a renowned convergence of pioneers, storytellers, and global visionaries — will take place this year from March 7-15 in Austin, Texas, bringing together a vibrant mix of ideas and innovations. Once again, UC San Diego will take center stage, showcasing cutting-edge research, transformative discussions on critical global challenges and a film premiere. “UC San Diego’s participation in the 2025 South by Southwest Conference and Festivals reinforces our institution’s passion for interdisciplinary ...

On the shores of Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay State Park grows what some consider to be the most iconic old-growth forest in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Giant ponderosa pines — some of the last remaining in the area — share space with at least 13 other tree species.  Yet despite its high conservation value and proximity to severely burned forests, the Emerald Point stand has not been managed to reduce its risk to drought or catastrophic wildfire. The fire-adapted forest has also not experienced fire for at least 120 years. This has led to massive increases in forest density, fuels, and insect- and drought-driven mortality. A fire ...

SAN ANTONIO — March 3, 2025 —Researchers at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the University of Michigan (U-M) have published a new study showing an advanced new methane flare burner, created with additive manufacturing and machine learning, eliminates 98% of methane vented during oil production. The burner was designed by U-M engineering researchers and tested at SwRI. Oil producers can generate methane during oil production and typically use flare stacks to burn off this gas. However, wind blowing across conventional ...

Dental implants used to replace single teeth continue to function well after several decades, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. After nearly forty years, all examined implants were still in place and fully functional.  The study is the longest follow-up study of single dental implants in the world and is based on a follow-up of a small group of patients who received single implants to replace missing teeth between 1982 and 1985. The implants are a result of research conducted by Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark ...

When a droplet of water falls on a hot pan, it dances across the surface, skimming on a thin layer of steam like a tiny hovercraft; this is known as the Leidenfrost effect. But now, researchers know what happens when a hot droplet falls on a cool surface. These new findings, publishing in the Cell Press journal Newton on March 3, demonstrate that hot and burning droplets can bounce off cool surfaces, propelled by a thin layer of air that forms beneath them. This phenomenon could inspire new strategies for slowing the spread of fires and improving engine efficiency.  "We started with a very fundamental question: What will happen ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A synthetic microbiome therapy, tested in mice, protects against severe symptoms of a gut infection that is notoriously difficult-to-treat and potentially life threatening in humans, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. The team developed the treatment for Clostridioides difficile, or C. difficile, a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal pain and colon inflammation. C. difficile can overgrow when the balance of the gut microbiome — the trillions of organisms that keep your body healthy — is disrupted. The team said their findings could lead to ...

Many people who have tried to lose weight by cutting calories are familiar with this frustrating reality: at some point, the body stops shedding pounds. It senses the reduced calorie intake and responds by slowing down metabolism, causing it to burn fewer calories than before the diet. This happens because the body perceives a potential starvation threat and adapts by conserving energy while still carrying out essential functions. It may seem incredibly unfair that the body doesn’t recognize the goal of weight loss and instead works against it by holding on to ...

About The Study: In this evaluation of a place-based, coordinated, countywide intervention, reports of both substantiated and unsubstantiated child sexual abuse were shown to be significantly reduced at the population level. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jennie G. Noll, PhD, email jennie_noll@urmc.rochester.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.6824) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, ...

About The Study: This cross-sectional study found a recent increase in cervical cancer incidence in rural U.S. counties, specifically among white women. In addition, incidence was 25% higher and mortality was 42% higher in rural vs urban counties in recent years. The increase in incidence and mortality in rural U.S. counties may reflect lower screening coverage and lower utilization of diagnostic and therapeutic care, likely resulting from heightened access barriers experienced in rural areas. Additionally, if unaddressed, ...

About The Study: A proposed U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration rule could impede buprenorphine initiation for a substantial number of patients with opioid use disorder. In this study, more than 4,500 tele-buprenorphine initiations from 2020 to 2022—20% of tele-initiations overall—would have been prohibited under requirements for an in-person visit with the tele-initiating clinician prior to or within 30 days after tele-initiation. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding ...

A research team led by Prof. LIU Chenli from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Prof. XIAO Yichuan from the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health of CAS elucidated the mechanism behind bacterial cancer therapy using a genetically engineered bacterial strain. Their findings were published in Cell on March 3. Exploring the use of antitumor bacteria in cancer therapy dates back to the 1860s. Despite this long history, however, clinical application of bacterial-based cancer therapy has faced significant challenges in terms of safety and efficacy.  Recent advancements in synthetic biology have enabled ...

A new USC-led study provides the first nationwide picture of who knows about, carries, and uses naloxone to reverse deadly opioid overdoses. Mireille Jacobson, professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and a senior fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, said the study was conducted to address the lack of comprehensive data on access to the lifesaving medication and eventually to support work on how it affects the number of deaths attributed to opioid overdoses in the U.S. “There ...